GP3: ART adds Albon to line-up

GP3 Series champion team ART Grand Prix has signed former European Formula 3 Championship frontrunner Alexander Albon as its third driver for 2016.

Albon finished seventh in Euro F3 with Signature last season, taking two poles and five podiums. The 19-year-old spent two days testing ART's GP3 car in Abu Dhabi over the winter.

"Last year ART Grand Prix had a stunning season, winning both titles and it was clear to me that this was the best place to go," he said. "My test in Abu Dhabi wasn't bad at all but the car is very different to the one I raced last season.

"The GP3 car is like a beast in the corners and you have to tame it! I will also have to come to grips with the tires and that's quite an exciting challenge in itself."

Albon believes he will need time to adapt to GP3 and is not expecting to be a frontrunner at first.

"I will have to adapt to the new environment and I hope to do the best possible job so that I might be able to climb onto the podium in the second half of the season and maybe get a few wins," he said.

He joins McLaren junior Nyck de Vries and Honda protege Nirei Fukuzumi in the ART GP3 line-up. The team took Esteban Ocon to the 2015 title, and previously ran Esteban Gutierrez and Valtteri Bottas in their GP3 championship-winning seasons.